e19537 Background: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is a paradigm shifting modality for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM). Yet national scale delineation of immune effector toxicities, cardiopulmonary and renal sequelae, and economic burden across demographic and payer strata has not been adequately characterized. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample (2018–2022) was queried to identify adult MM hospitalizations receiving CAR T through ICD-10-PCS codes. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) [all grades - 2021–2022], immune effector cell–associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) [all grades – 2022], cardiac events and infections were identified through ICD-10 codes. Age was stratified into 21-40, 41-60, 61-80, >81 years. Payer groups were Medicare, Medicaid, Private and Uninsured. Races were White, African American, Hispanic and others [Pacific Islanders, Native Indians, Asians]. Chi-square analysis was performed and multivariate regression adjusted for demographics, comorbidities and hospital characteristics. Results: Across >7,000 weighted hospitalizations, mortality, any grade CRS and ICANS were statistically similar across age, race, and payer (p>0.05). However, CRS was numerically higher in Hispanic patients (78.6%) than in White (63.2%), African American (68.1%), and other minor races (60.0%) (p=0.339). ICANS grade 4 was numerically higher in Hispanic (5.3%) versus White (0.8%) (p=0.278). Mortality was numerically highest in other minor races (9.5%) versus White (3.6%), Hispanic (2.8%), and African American (0.0%) (p=0.179). Age-stratified analyses showed significant heterogeneity in arrhythmias (22.2% [21–40 years] to 28.6% [≥81 years]; p=0.021), attenuating after adjustment. By race, arrhythmias ranged from 8.3% (Hispanic) to 25.0% (White) (p=0.113). Other cardiac events including myocardial infarction, stroke and cardiogenic shock were similar across groups. Payer stratified pneumonia varied (p=0.010) with uninsured 23.8% versus Private 5.1%, Medicare 7.3%, and Medicaid 6.4%, without persistence in adjusted models. Sepsis and septic shock rates showed no differences. Hispanic patients had higher adjusted costs versus White (Odds ratio [OR] 1.3, 1.04–1.7; p=0.023). Age-stratified costs differed (p=0.032), with elevated cost in ≥81 years (USD 394,617) versus 21–40 (USD 229,862), 41–60 (USD 214,974), and 61–80 (USD 269,844) but it was not significant in adjusted analysis. Conclusions: In this national cohort, CRS, ICANS and mortality were broadly stable across strata, while cardiac events displayed select divergences with elevated rates of arrhythmias among the elderly population suggesting robust cardiac surveillance in these patients. Cost differentials were evident with higher costs among Hispanic and elderly patients warranting validation in larger, prospectively harmonized datasets.
Impact of chronic kidney disease on toxicity patterns and economic burden in CAR T-cell therapy for multiple myeloma: A national analysis.
e19536 Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) may impair physiologic resilience during chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for multiple myeloma (MM). While cytokine response syndrome (CRS) and immune cell-associated neurotoxicity syndromes (ICANS) have been described in MM CAR-T recipients with CKD, the broader cardiopulmonary, infectious, renal, and economic implications of CKD remain insufficiently defined. We examined the national impact of CKD on mortality, immune cell effector toxicities, organ dysfunction, infections and resource utilization. Methods: Adult MM hospitalizations receiving CAR T-cell therapy were identified from the National Inpatient Sample (2018–2022) using ICD-10-PCS codes. Patients with ESRD were excluded. CKD was categorized as CKD3a+ (eGFR <60 mL/min) versus no CKD/CKD1–2. Outcomes included in-hospital mortality, CRS (2021–2022), ICANS (2022), cardiac arrhythmias, acute kidney injury (AKI), renal replacement therapy, respiratory failure, infections and total hospitalization cost (calculated using TOTCHG variable and adjusted cost to charge ratio). Comparative analysis was done using chi-square testing. Multivariate analysis adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics. Results: Among 2,045 weighted MM CAR-T hospitalizations, 7.6% had CKD3a+. Overall CRS rates were similar (66.7% vs 64.9%; p=0.839) between CKD3a+ vs no/CKD1-2. Overall ICANS rates were also comparable (16.7% vs 17.3%; p=0.941). Differences in CRS/ICANS grades were not significant. CKD3a+ patients experienced sharply higher AKI (58.1% vs 13.0%; p<0.001; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 9.2, p<0.001). Renal replacement therapy was more frequent in CKD3a+ but non-significant (3.2% vs 0.8%; p=0.196). Acute respiratory failure was more frequent (9.7% vs 2.9%; p=0.045) in patients with CKD. Cardiac arrhythmias were numerically higher but non-significant (25.8% vs 20.6%; p=0.527; adjusted OR 1.3, 95% CI 0.4–4.9; p=0.673). Infections were amplified, including gram-negative bacteremia (3.2% vs 0.3%; p=0.026), sepsis (9.7% vs 2.6%; p=0.040), and septic shock (3.2% vs 0.3%; p=0.027) in patients with CKD. Inpatient mortality was numerically higher (6.5% vs 1.9%; p=0.101), though nonsignificant after adjustment (OR 6.9; p=0.319). Hospital costs were substantially higher in CKD3a+ (USD 346,769 vs 239,175; p=0.006), though not significant in adjusted models (OR 1.3; p=0.120). Conclusions: CKD3a+ is associated with markedly increased AKI, higher respiratory failure and infections, with a trend towards higher hospitalization costs. Inpatient mortality, CRS and ICANS rates were similar. CKD3a+ represents a significant vulnerability that amplifies downstream complications in MM CAR-T recipients, warranting enhanced pre-treatment risk stratification, infection surveillance and renal-preserving strategies.
Impact of chronic kidney disease on adverse event topography and economic burden in CAR T-cell therapy for DLBCL: A national analysis.
e19054 Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) may potentiate toxicity and impair organ resilience in recipients of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). While cytokine response syndrome (CRS) and immune cell effector neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) have been reported with CKD, the cardiac, infectious, and economic sequelae are insufficiently described. We evaluated these outcomes across CKD strata from a national database. Methods: Using the National Inpatient Sample (2017–2022), we identified adult DLBCL hospitalizations receiving CAR T-cell therapy. ESRD patients were excluded. CKD was examined in two frameworks: CKD3a+ (eGFR <60 mL/min) versus no/CKD1–2, and CKD3b+ (eGFR <45 mL/min) versus no–CKD3a. Outcomes included in-hospital mortality, CRS (2021–2022), ICANS (2022), cardiac events, infections, acute kidney injury (AKI), renal replacement therapy and total hospitalization costs (calculated using TOTCHG variable and adjusted cost to charge ratio) and comparative analyses was done using chi-square testing. Multivariable models adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics. Results: In a cohort of 5,400 hospitalized DLBCL patients receiving CAR-T, those with CKD stage 3a or higher (CKD3a+; n=165; 3.1%) had higher rates of AKI (33.3% vs 11.6%; p<0.001) and renal replacement therapy (6.1% vs 1.4%; p=0.040) compared to no/CKD1–2 (n=5,235. Total hospitalization cost was higher (USD 456,198 vs 365,182; p=0.024) and grade 4 ICANS occurred more frequently (10.0% vs 1.4%; p=0.046). Mortality (6.1% vs 2.8%; p=0.259), pneumonia (12.1% vs 6.1%; p=0.246) and cardiac arrhythmias (33.3% vs 21.2%; p=0.094) were increased numerically. After multivariable adjustment, most differences diminished (mortality odds ratio [OR] 1.8, p=0.617; AKI OR 1.2, p=0.735). Among patients with CKD stage 3b or higher (CKD3b+; n=80; 1.5%), complications were more pronounced. In-hospital mortality was substantially higher (12.5% vs 2.7%; p=0.017), along with grade 4 CRS (7.7% vs 1.0%; p=0.011), acute myocardial infarction (6.3% vs 0.7%; p=0.007) and AKI (50.0% vs 11.7%; p<0.001). The cost of hospitalization (USD 446,074 vs 366,826; p=0.197) trended higher. Adjusted models confirmed markedly increased mortality (OR 10.2, 1.5–67.8; p=0.016) but other outcomes were not significant. Conclusions: CKD3b+ is associated with substantially higher mortality with signal of augmented high-grade CRS and cardiac events, whereas CKD3a+ exhibited worsening in renal outcomes and higher cost that attenuated after adjustment. These findings position pre-existing renal dysfunction especially CKD3b+ as a clinically salient risk substrate warranting pre-emptive risk stratification, vigilant cardiac monitoring and proactive organ-support pathways to mitigate downstream morbidity and mortality.
Differential clinical and economic signatures of CAR T-cell therapy in DLBCL across demographic and payer strata: A national analysis.
7064 Background: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has revolutionized care for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), yet granular delineation of real-world immune effector toxicities, organ-specific sequelae and economic burden across demographic and socioeconomic strata requires further exploration. Methods: Using the National Inpatient Sample (2017–2022), we identified adult DLBCL hospitalizations receiving CAR T through ICD-10-PCS codes. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) [all grades - 2021–2022], immune effector cell–associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) [all grades – 2022], infections, cardiac events and acute kidney injury (AKI) were identified through ICD-10 codes. Age was stratified into 21-40, 41-60, 61-80 and >81 years. Payer groups were Medicare, Medicaid, Private and Uninsured. Races were White, African American, Hispanic and others [Pacific Islanders, Native Indians, Asians]. Chi-square analysis was performed, and multivariate regression adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics. Results: Across >11,000 weighted hospitalizations, inpatient mortality, all-grade CRS and ICANS were comparable across age, race, and payer groups (p>0.05). Inpatient mortality was numerically higher in other minor races (6.6%) vs White (3.3%), African American (3.1%), and Hispanic (0.9%; p=0.230). Any grade CRS was numerically higher in other minor races (72.5%) than in White (62.3%) and African American (60.6%; p=0.614). Any grade ICANS dispersion included 29.5% (White), 39.1% (African American), 22.5% (Hispanic) and 11.1% (Other; p=0.204). A race-specific signal for ICANS grade 5 (p=0.030) was seen, but numbers were small. Among cardiac events, arrhythmias rose from 7.6% (age 21–40 years) to 57.1% ( age ≥81 years) (p<0.001). By payer, arrhythmias were highest in Medicare (31.2%; p<0.001). Other cardiac events including myocardial infarction, stroke and cardiogenic shock were similar across groups. Pneumonia rates varied by payer, peaking in the Uninsured (23.8%; p=0.010). Sepsis and septic shock rates showed no differences. AKI (p=0.007) rates showed differences but attenuated after adjustment. Hispanic and other minor races had lower adjusted costs than White (Odds ratio [OR] 0.9, p=0.046; OR 0.8, p=0.006), while ages 61–80 had higher adjusted costs vs 21–40 (OR 1.2, p=0.023). Conclusions: In this national cohort, CRS, ICANS and mortality were similar across demographic and payer strata, indicating consistent immune effector safety. Cardiac arrhythmia rates were higher among the elderly and Medicare beneficiaries. There were lower expenditures among minor race groups and higher costs in elderly. These findings highlight discrete domains of variability and suggest intensified cardiac surveillance in elderly and equitable resource allocation to optimize outcomes with CAR-T.